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Wednesday, August 30, 2017

This month Nikki and I visited Eight Sushi Lounge. I'd never been and Nikki had been before only once. Both sushi lovers, we were anxious and highly anticipating this experience. And an experience it was!Around the corner from many other top Atlanta restaurants, Eight Sushi Lounge is located in the booming, restaurant-rich West Midtown area in Atlanta.

Welcome back to our Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers", a monthly series by wanderlust ATLANTA and super-popular food Instagramer atlantafoodie! Our eighth stop on this 10 restaurant tour was Eight Sushi Lounge.What we believe is a unique spin on 'Top 10' lists, we're not counting down, but instead, we're showcasing some of Atlanta's restaurants with numbers in their names! Some we've been to before and others will be a first-time experience. We're going to make all of them FUN!

Eight Sushi Lounge | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

This was such an incredible dining experience, and we've only experienced the tip of the iceberg! We'll be back for more and more and more! Allow us to share with you first what was one of our mutually favorite dishes from this visit. The "Windmill Roll" is as delicious as it is beautiful! It gets its name from the lotus chip (the best lotus chip I've ever had!) that's nestled between this two-story experience.Our server, Ivy—more about her coming up—explained that most diners enjoy this in two, simultaneous bites...picking up the Cajun-spiced lotus chip topped with spicy tuna and crab salad and immediately following with the roll of spicy yellow tail and tempura crunch. Perfectly enjoyable individually, I recommend trying all of these flavors together. "Experience an Evolution in Sushi" is the motto of Eight Sushi Lounge. Very fitting indeed. Nikki and I both are already eager to return, knowing full well that every visit will be an evolution of our previous sushi experience here. Indeed, it's a revolution in Japanese cuisine.

I started with the Sake Flight, a sample of three of the restaurant's premium sakes. Nikki enjoyed the same a little later in the meal. Each sake was different, not drastically, but notably. If you're a sake enthusiast, I think you'll very much enjoy this. If you're new to sake, do try it. These are far superior to what you might haphazardly find in your local liquor store.

We'd planned our visit to Eight Sushi Lounge without much research. We knew that their sushi presentations are often quite spectacular and I'd learned that it's a second generation family-owned business, but otherwise, we were hopeful for a lovely experience.Unaware they had happy hour specials, we were delighted to find that those specials included a 3 for $10 "Miso Happy Before Dark" special, which features some totally amazing bites!We, of course, wanted to sample as much as we could so that we'd be amply prepared to share with you what is amazing about the menu. Wow! What a great start!Our first 3-bite sampler included the "Sunday Morning" roll (top). With an excellent flavor and gorgeous presentation, this one has spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and avocado, that's flash-fried in nori and topped with Eight's house sauce.Also in this round was the Pork Belly Lettuce Wrap (lower left). Personally, I didn't think I was a fan of pork belly, but this is absolutely amazing!The meat-to-fat ratio is heavier on the meat—not that I have to have a ton of meat, but I don't like a mouthful of fat either. I found the flavor to be mild, yet rich at the same time. It's composed of braised pork belly and green mango salad with a spicy almond butter sauce! Sounds amazing, right?

Eight Sushi Lounge | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The third dish on our first sampler plate was the Langoustine—a crispy spicy tuna and crunchy baked scampi! The sauce is amazing and just a little bit spicy. I love spicy—flavor and heat! Nikki particularly liked the sauce in this bite. Don't pass this one up.

The Yummy Roll is exactly that...yummy! It's milder on flavor and wholly delicious. A basic roll presented beautifully, this one has tuna, salmon, cream cheese, and asparagus. It's lightly fried in nori and served with Eight's house sauce. Their house sauce totally rocks!Eight Sushi Lounge has something for every level of sushi diner. If you're brand new to raw fish, I think the Yummy Roll is a great roll to start with. I personally started with the—now cliche—California Roll and then quickly graduated to much more adventurous options, which are infinite! Tuna is my go-to, whether tartare, seared, or sashimi...I love tuna! Nikki's been enjoying sushi for years, so I very often defer to her menu choices. I'm so lucky to have a 'sushi expert' friend!

Eight Sushi Lounge | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

We both enjoyed a libation, of course. I had the Strawberry Popscile! I love berries, but this was special. It's fruity, fun, bubbly, not too sweet and by the time you're done, the berries have dissolved to practically the same consistency of your cocktail, so you're able to enjoy your drink without having to fish out the berry goodness. Nikki had the Purple Heart cocktail, made of Shochu, vodka, blueberries, thyme, lemon, and soda. She particularly enjoyed the unique thyme flavor.

Eight Sushi Lounge | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The dishes kept getting better and better...and it wasn't the sake talking.Nikki and I, the enthusiastic eaters we are, ordered another 3-for-10 sampler. The variation of offerings is absolutely wonderful! There's everything from an elevated vegetable, such as the Green Bean Fries offered with a Truffle Aioli, to their Kushiage Fish Cake offered with a soy reduction and serrano sauce. We didn't have the latter, but definitely trying that one next time!

The "Eggs Benedict", one of Nikki's choices, is a nod to breakfast and totally "delish" (Yes, @atlantafoodie uses "delish" as a descriptor, as do I.). Nikki really likes quail egg, whereas it's not the first thing to grab my attention. But, THIS quail egg is amazing. I don't know if it's the source of the eggs or the preparation—my guess is the latter—but this dish leaves you with a delightful sensory experience that you'll want to have again and again.This bite is composed of a bed or rice, spicy tuna, shiso leaf and a sunny side up quail egg! Again, "delish!"

Eight Sushi Lounge | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Surprise, surprise...the "Canolis" is a savory roll! The roll is stuffed with hamachi or king crab and the "whipped cream" is an avocado mousse. Absolutely delicious! I'd forego sweetness and have this for dessert, too, it's so good!

Eight Sushi Lounge | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The "Tuna Crisps" was a favorite of mine and Nikki's...beautifully presented, too!I love that there are no forks or spoons on the table. You get chopsticks. I'm sure they have forks and spoons in the back, but what's the fun in that?!I like to think that I'm pretty good with chopsticks, but I have to say that I hope no one was watching me attempting to enjoy this dish with grace and style. I looked like such a rookie! But I persevered. Didn't have a choice...it's so delicious and I wasn't waiting for a fork to enjoy it!

Not that I would ever ask for a fork in a Japanese restaurant. When in Rome, people. When in Rome! If you're new to chopsticks, "Just do it." You'll get better with practice and no one is going to judge you for good effort. Promise!

New on the menu, I had to have "The Alchemist" even before I knew what it was. The name alone is super cool! After we heard the description—being the fun-loving diners we are—there was no other choice but to order it!This dessert is delicious, but the "experience" is what it's all about!The "Experiment": everything for this dessert is served all at once, but the diner has the awesome experience of conducting the "experiment" in multiple stages. Components: 1) A HUGE scoop of exquisite vanilla ice cream; 2) A rack of four test tubes containing: puffed rice crunchies, blueberries, and peach pearls and green apple pearls; and 3) A vial of plum liqueur. Plum liqueur, people! NOTE: The toppings change from time to time, so please do tell us what yours were!Instructions: 1) Take photos; 2) Pour the contents of each test tube onto your ice cream, with childish delight; 3) Pour the plum liqueur over the top of everything!; 4) Put the mint back on top of your ice cream; 5) Take another photo of the fully composed "experiment"; 6) Dig in and enjoy this delicious, wholly fun and totally delicious dessert!; and 7) Tell all your friends how much fun this is!I want to do that again, right now!Nikki, @atlantafoodie on Instagram and "By the Numbers" partner, is great about giving a "preview" of our upcoming posts. This time, the comments on the sushi photos she posted prior to publishing this post, have received multiple comments, all saying, "Best Sushi in Atlanta!" We see why!Ivy is AWESOME! We could not have asked for better service. By the time we left, Ivy seemed more like a friend having us over for dinner than a restaurant server. She enthusiastically shared with us the inside scoop about new dishes and how they're most enjoyed, and her enthusiasm for Eight Sushi Lounge's food and menu development shined like a beacon! "Thank you, Ivy!"

Dining options include the main dining room, an more intimate corner of the restaurant, dining alfresco on the patio, or sitting at the sushi bar watching the masters at work!

The beverage and food menus are extensive! Take a moment to peruse them for something that piques your interest, and be ready to do so again and again! The menus and/or your server will tell you what's new on the menu.

During dinner, parking is available in the adjacent parking deck for a $3 fee. The restaurant does not own or operate the deck, however they have worked it out so that you can add your valet parking fee to your dinner tab. Just take your dining receipt to retrieve your car and be sure to bring cash so you can tip your valet attendant.

OF NOTE: Eight Sushi Lounge opened its doors in 2015, but the owners are not new to the restaurant scene. In fact, this is a new endeavor of multi-generational ownership. I've not yet met the family that owns the restaurant, but hope to have that opportunity during another visit very soon. I want to share with them just how AWESOME our experience was!

"Compliments to the Chef!" and, again, "Thank you, Ivy!" for a wonderful dining experience at Eight Sushi Lounge. We'll see you again soon, and we're bringing friends!

Here's our planned Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers", one per month in 2017:

Thank you for coming along on what we think will be a FUN food journey over 10 months in 2017. Our selection of restaurants is a subjective choice of what we think will be an exciting new way to experience Atlanta restaurants: "By the Numbers". Please, tell your friends and family what we're doing and invite them to also come along for the taste tour!

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

BANG! A man is shot dead. This musical is not a classic whodunnit murder mystery, but we are greeted with the mystery of who shot playboy Herman Camm (T.C. Carson). You'll soon learn that it was very likely one of three women...nightclub Blues singer, and Herman's lover, Pearl (Brittany Inge), Herman's wife Mae Lou (Naomi Lavette), or Mae Lou's daughter Carrie (Ayana Reed). There's no shortage of drama in this show, but there are a few laughs along the way, too. And it's overflowing with talent!Now in its final week at Horizon Theatre, Blackberry Daze is one of the finest plays of the summer, and a Suzi Awards recommended show!

I've been a Brittany Inge (Pearl) fan for some time now, but particularly for this show. Well, that's not true...she's AMAZING in every show I've seen her in (Father Comes Home From the Wars; Significant Other)! And what a spectacular voice! She's absolutely charming in real life, too.In Blackberry Daze, Pearl may come across as flippant and carefree, but the acting is so perfectly nuanced that you almost don't know that the character has feelings that run incredibly deep. Deep enough to commit murder, perhaps.One of the many things that I love about Brittany is that she wholeheartedly owns whatever role she's playing. From a tipsy, laughter-loving bridesmaid to an emotionally-wrought Civil War slave to a curves-in-all-the-right-places nightclub Blues singer, Brittany always delivers a superb performance.

If your heart doesn't break while watching this performance, you're just not human. The performances are so amazing, it throttles and breaks your heart. I've been called devoid of emotion while others have seen more than their share of emotion from me. This show had me in tears. But it gifted plenty of smiles and laughs, too. The first question I asked Ayana Reed (Carrie) after the show was, "Broadway or Hollywood?" She's extraordinarily talented. She can take her acting career anywhere she wants!Ayana completely and wholly immersed herself into the character of Carrie. You did not see an actress on stage performing Carrie...you saw Carrie. Ayana's range of emotion, expression and steadfast commitment to her character's persona elevates the theatre-going experience to multitude of feel-it-deep-in-your-heart emotional states.It turns out that Brittany and Ayana have been best friends since high school, but were surprised when they learned that they would be acting together in this show! It's a small world.

Christian Magby (Willie/Simon) gives a solid, enthusiastic performance! Especially amazing because he was the music composer for Mother of God, one of the three official selections for the 2nd Annual Atlanta Theatre Musical Festival, which was staged during the run of Blackberry Daze. That kind of energy for me seems like a distant memory, but I never had Christian's amazing talent.Christy Clark (Ginny/Annie May/Hester) also is magnificently brilliant. Her transition from character to character is remarkably seamless, giving each a masterful, unique performance. Her characters are not in-your-face, but would leave a void, would be missed, if not in the story.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Ruth P. Watson, the author of Blackberry Days of Summer, the book on which Blackberry Daze is based. She's also the co-playwright of the stage musical. Perhaps one day she'll be the co-screenwriter for a silver screen version. I'm not sure if it was at every performance, but when I went, during intermission, she was autographing copies of her book. Of course I got one and enjoyed a lovely chat with Ruth.In an interview, Ruth said, "...Most all the characters remind me of somebody I do know from my community in Lynchburg, Virginia. Maybe somebody around the corner I knew. Maybe a lady two streets over, but it remdinds me of somebody that I ran into in my life." I can hardly wait to finish the book! AND it's part of a series, so there's more to this story!

If you've never seen Naomi Lavette (Mae Lou) onstage before, after seeing this show you'll never want to miss another of her shows! I'm not a parent, but Mae Lou's love for her daughter comes through loud and clear. The heartbreak her husband brings her (I've had more than a couple of step-fathers, so I got this part) breaks your heart. Mae Lou is a quietly complex woman, wise beyond her years.So, who shot the that womanizing bastard Herman? I'm not one to spoil the ending, so I'll just invite you to see the show or read the book. I think you'll be grateful and delighted for either...or both!Blackberry Daze is playing at Horizon Theatre through Sunday, August 27. This show has consistently sold out and is sold out for the remainder of the run, but if you've not seen it, I encourage your to contact the box office to ask about the waiting list. And do check out their upcoming plays!Allow me, please, to leave you with a video trailer of Blackberry Daze...

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Ronin Hood, now playing at Serenbe Playhouse, part of their Family Series, will be showing through Saturday, August 27, an extension made only weeks into the show when it was realized that demand for this delightful, fast-paced, super-fun show was overwhelming!

Robin Hood | Serenbe Playhouse | Photo: BreeAnne Clowdus

If you've been to a Serenbe Playhouse performance, you know to expect the unexpected, to expect the resplendent! This tale of Robin Hood has the renegade knight, and others in this 14th Century tale (with roots perhaps as far back as the 12th Century) zip-lining through The Farmer's Market Hideaway in Serenbe—for the run of this performance known a Sherwood Forest.This show is as magnificent as the first action 3D film you ever saw! Traipsing through woodland, swashbuckling on platforms, quarterstaff dueling across bridges in the sky, engaging in sword fights, an archery competition, and zipping through the trees, Robin Hood wins the heart of Maid Marian.Jordan Patrick (Robin Hood) is as energetic as he is handsome, as charming as he is talented. Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he shared with I and a fellow theatre-goer that he's very much enjoying his first play in the Atlanta area and excited to be a member of the 2017-2018 Apprentice Company with Serenbe Playhouse.Casey Shuler (Maid Marian) is as splendid an actress as she is gorgeous, as as brilliant as she is a gifted thespian. A native or Louisville, Kentucky, Casey is also new to Atlanta and is excitedly a member of the 2017-2018 Apprentice Company with Serenbe Playhouse.

Robin Hood | Serenbe Playhouse | Photo: BreeAnne Clowdus

"Robin Hood is going to be our most immersive family series to date,” says Playhouse Founder and Artistic/Executive Director Brian Clowdus. "With a set in the air, actors will be zip lining above the audience in a hidden Sherwood Forest in the most breathtaking of Serenbe landscapes."With the assistance of a wooden crate, the towering Sheriff of Nottingham (Kenny Tran) is forceful in stating the law of the land, and the comic relief when enforcing it. He's absolutely delightful, for one wielding a sword against a hero—the one we know to steal from the rich and give to the poor!Brady Dunn (Little John), who's not 7-feet in stature but is in charm and personality, is fantastic! The hilarious costume-change sequence with Kendra Johnson (Scarlet Will) had all the kids laughing and giggling. And Madison Welch (Captain of the Guard), who had perhaps the most 'serious' role in this production, performed brilliantly!I highly recommend watching the acting careers of all the members of this cast...they're leaving the forest and going places!

Robin Hood | Serenbe Playhouse | Photo: BreeAnne Clowdus

While I've not read every story or seen every production or film of "Robin Hood", I've seen a number, and I believe this one to be an amalgamation of the original story and at least a few the films...a smart move for the modern day audience, don't you think?

In this new adaptation by Serenbe collaborator Rachel Teagle and under the direction of Broadway's Paul McGill (who was in Broadway's Spider-Man musical!), characters will "fly through Serenbe's magnificent forest on a zip line, redistributing wealth as they go!"

Robin Hood | Serenbe Playhouse | Photo: BreeAnne Clowdus

This under-an-hour production is high-spirited, super-fun for kids and us grownups who are kids of many ages. There's a seating area up front for the little tykes. For the best viewing, arrive early and get a seat up front. Otherwise you'll see all the platform, bridge, and aerial performance just fine. And a fine performance it is! PERK ALERT: If you've been to a Serenbe Playhouse performance, you know that they're often more immersive than expected. The same goes for "Robin Hood"...theatre-goers have the opportunity to play games, engage in (safe) sword fights, and even have a chance to zip line themselves! How's that for awesomeness!

Robin Hood | Serenbe Playhouse | Photo: BreeAnne Clowdus

Patrick Jordan (Robin Hood), Casey Shuler (Maid Marian), and Kendra Johnson (Scarlet Will) are all members of the 2017-2018 Apprentice Company with Serenbe Playhouse. They were also cast and crew at the recent Serenbe Playhouse blockbuster "Macbeth". AND all six cast members of "Robin Hood" are in the highly anticipated, currently running Serenbe Playhouse show "Cabaret" starring Serenbe Playhouse Founder & Executive/Artistic Director Brian Clowdus!Remember, Ronin Hood is playing at Serenbe Playhouse, part of their Family Series, through Saturday, August 27...you'll want to take the youngsters in your life to see it and those of us who are kids at heart will enjoy it, too! I certainly did.Get your super-reasonably priced tickets here: TICKETS!Serenbe Playhouse notes a few of their favorite renditions of Robin Hood in the program. Allow me this opportunity to share with you some trailers/clips of those incredibly diverse versions of Robin Hood. Enjoy...Walt Disney's "Robin Hood" (1973)